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Biomedical subjects

J A Long

Publications and source records attributed to J A Long.

72 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Radiologic treatment of esophageal food impaction using intravenous glucagon.

Obstructing esophageal food impaction was successfully relieved in 3 patients by the administration of intravenous glucagon. Since proteolytic enzyme digestion of bolus impaction carries a clear risk of fatal esophageal perforation, early therapeutic administration of glucagon during initial esophagography affords a safe and effective acute-care radiologic adjunct. Advantages include immediate diagnosis and therapy, effectiveness in meat and vegetable impactions, and safety for repeated doses. A glucagon-papain combination is suggested as a routine regimen during standard efforts at enzymatic disimpaction.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Extra-abdominal desmoid of the axillary tail mimicking breast carcinoma.

A case is reported of an extra-abdominal desmoid tumor presenting as an axillary tail breast mass. This represents the third reported case and the first description of the roentgenographic findings of this entity. That this tumor can be confused with carcinoma of the breast is emphasized.

Axilla↗
PubMed1972

Physiological fatty liver and hyperlipemia in the fetal guinea pig: chemical and ultrastructural characterization.

During its prolonged period of gestation, the fetal guinea pig gradually develops a striking hyperlipemia (plasma triglycerides ca. 500-1500 mg/dl) and fatty liver (hepatic triglycerides ca. 25% of wet weight). The parenchymal cells of the liver contain not only many fat droplets in the cytoplasm, but also large numbers of osmiophilic particles, interpreted as precursors of plasma lipoproteins, within profiles of the cisternae and secretory vesicles of the Golgi apparatus. Similar particles are found in intercellular spaces, in the space of Disse, and in the hepatic sinusoids. Near the end of gestation, these particles enlarge to the size range characteristic of chylomicrons secreted from the intestinal mucosa after ingestion of fat. At the same time, the hyperlipemia increases and is characterized by the accumulation of particles resembling chylomicrons morphologically and chemically. The results are interpreted as evidence of intense hepatic synthesis and secretion of very low density lipoproteins which may be related to the extensive transplacental transport of free fatty acids known to occur in this species. After birth, the hyperlipemia subsides rapidly and the hepatic steatosis more gradually. The blood plasma of the guinea pig fetus also contains moderate amounts of low density and high density lipoproteins. The latter decrease to barely detectable levels during the first 2 wk of postnatal life. Comparably low levels of high density lipoproteins are found in nonpregnant and pregnant adults.

Aging↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Characterizing the reproductive physiology of the male southern black howler monkey, Alouatta caraya.

Limited reproductive data are available for any species of howler monkey, including those listed as threatened (Alouatta pigra) and endangered (A. palliata) by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Status (CITES) report. The Southern black howler monkey (A. caraya) is being considered as a model species to develop assisted reproductive technology (ART) for vulnerable howler species. Specific objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of 1) time of year on ejaculate quality and testosterone concentration, 2) age of male on ejaculate quality, and 3) seminal plasma on sperm longevity in vitro. Three adult (4.5 to 5 years) and 3 subadult (1.5 to 2.5 years) males were evaluated for a 1.5-year period. Semen samples were obtained by electroejaculation, and testosterone levels were monitored by fecal steroid metabolite radioimmunoassay. Males produced coagulum-free ejaculates throughout the year. Likewise, most (4/6) males exhibited constant testosterone levels (3.66 +/- 0.45 ng/g) during the year. Testosterone levels for the remaining 2 males, housed as a bachelor troop, were elevated (43 ng/g) during the months of May and June. Seminal characteristics were similar (P > .05) between age groups. Average semen volume was higher during the summer months (P < .05). Sperm concentrations were highly variable through the year and ranged from 7.0 x 10(6) sperm/mL to 583.0 x 10(6) sperm/mL. Percentages of motile sperm (73% +/- 2.3%) and forward progressive sperm motility (3.3 +/- 0.1), however, were consistent (P > .05) throughout the year. The average pH (8.9 +/- 0.1) and osmolality (356.7 +/- 26.1 mmol/kg) of raw semen also did not vary (P > .05) throughout the year. Ejaculates from subadult males, however, contained more (P < .05) morphologically abnormal spermatozoa than adult ejaculates. In addition, in vitro sperm longevity was poor (<2 hours) for subadult male samples, regardless of the presence or absence of seminal plasma (P > .05). For adult males, seminal plasma was detrimental to sperm longevity; however, spermatozoa survived more than 5 hours in vitro when seminal plasma was removed. Although subadult males produce semen, these ejaculates would not be ideal for further characterization of seminal traits or development of ART for other howler monkey species.

Aging↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A modified version of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) for psoriatic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present investigation was to explore a modification of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) to capture the functional problems associated with psoriasis as well as inflammatory arthritis in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: During a visit to the Psoriatic Arthritis Clinic, 118 patients with PsA were asked to complete the modified version of the HAQ. The original HAQ and expanded HAQ (HAQ-SK) scores were calculated. Correlation and regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between the severity of psoriasis and the functional status as measured by the various HAQ measures. RESULTS: The mean global HAQ score was 0.55 on a scale ranging from 0 to 3, while the mean global HAQ-SK score was 0.56, suggesting that the modification, which involved adding items to reflect those aspects of physical functioning most affected by psoriasis, did not materially change the global HAQ score. There were no significant associations between the global HAQ-SK disability score or the added psoriasis items and the severity and activity of psoriasis, as measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) (all correlations < 0.20). The only significant association was found between the patient and the clinician ratings of psoriasis severity (r = 0.49). Open-ended questions suggest that psychosocial functioning is another dimension of health status which is of concern to PsA patients. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that physical disabilities associated with the severity and activity of psoriasis are not captured by the HAQ or the HAQ-SK. Psychosocial functioning, an additional area of concern to PsA patients, is also not directly linked to physical functioning or to the severity of psoriasis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Regulation of sperm function by protein tyrosine phosphorylation in diverse wild felid species.

Protein tyrosine phosphorylation is associated with sperm capacitation and the acrosome reaction in several mammalian species. Changes in phosphorylation of a 95-kDa protein in human, mouse, and domestic cat spermatozoa are known to be influenced by capacitation and exposure to zona pellucida (ZP) proteins. We previously reported diminished phosphorylation of 95- and 160-kDa proteins in spermatozoa from teratospermic cats, compared with normospermic domestic cats. To determine if these proteins and mechanisms are present in other species in the phenotypically diverse Felidae family, we examined the relationship between tyrosine-phosphorylated sperm proteins and sperm morphology in the leopard cat (approximately 65% normal sperm/ejaculate), tiger (approximately 65%), clouded leopard (approximately 15%), and cheetah (approximately 30%). Furthermore, we investigated the involvement of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the regulation of sperm protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Specifically, we assessed the following: 1) presence of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in sperm extracts; 2) changes in protein tyrosine phosphorylation after sperm capacitation and swim-up separation; 3) impact of tyrosine kinase inhibition on leopard cat sperm protein phosphorylation and ZP penetration; and 4) involvement of a cAMP-dependent pathway in the regulation of protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Immunoblotting analysis with anti-phosphotyrosine antibody (PY20) indicated that a 95-kDa protein was present in all four species. Additional phosphorylated proteins were detected in the leopard cat (145- and 175-kDa proteins), tiger (185-kDa protein), clouded leopard (160- and 190-kDa proteins), and cheetah (115- and 155-kDa proteins). Sperm capacitation in vitro increased phosphorylation of one or more proteins in the leopard cat, tiger and clouded leopard, but not in the cheetah. Although swim-up separation increased the proportion of morphologically normal spermatozoa in the clouded leopard and cheetah, no changes were observed in phosphorylation of the 95-kDa sperm protein. Thus, phosphorylation of the 95-kDa protein appeared to be related to the condition of teratospermia. Exposing leopard cat spermatozoa to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, tyrphostin, reduced (P < 0.05) phosphorylation of the 95- and 145-kDa proteins, as well as ZP penetration, without affecting sperm motility. Similarly, when spermatozoa were incubated in the presence of cAMP analogs or active and inactive stereoisomers of cAMP, phosphorylation of sperm proteins was either stimulated or inhibited. Together, these data suggest that protein tyrosine kinase mechanisms appear conserved within the family Felidae and are regulated by a cAMP/protein kinase A pathway.

Animals↗